# Is it racist to use the term 'Master Bedroom' **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 21, 2022, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613 "2022-10-21T22:47:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/101 "2022-10-22T19:16:54Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > was sweating bullets looking for that catalog page. I was looking but couldn’t find it. I’m glad you did! ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/102 "2022-10-22T19:19:50Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > In my own personal life I had a close friend years ago explain to me directly why my casual use of “oriental” was a poor choice of words and I am glad they did. I always hope to be a better person. My wife tells me she was schooled years ago on saying something was “retarded.” There’s also a movement to get people to stop referring to “gingers” or using expressions like “red-headed stepchild.“ This is obviously a matter that is of much lower stakes than other matters of discrimination or bigotry. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth taking into account. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/103 "2022-10-22T19:46:51Z")
It seems to me that “master bedroom / bathroom / suite” has always referred to the largest room or set of rooms where the owner (IOW “master”) of the household resided. Maybe if you happen to live on a restored Southern plantation or chateau or something there is some historical connotations of the estate’s owner being some wealthy slaveowner or feudal lord or something. I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/104 "2022-10-22T19:49:09Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > where the owner (IOW “master”) of the household resided. As I said above, I think it’s bad enough to imply that one person is a household is “master” of everyone else that lives there, even if there is no direct connection to slavery. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/105 "2022-10-22T19:51:45Z")
It’s more sexist than racist. But more than anything, it’s just antiquated. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/106 "2022-10-22T19:54:28Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > It’s more sexist than racist. Should I maybe call it the mistress bedroom? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/107 "2022-10-22T19:59:53Z")
Unless that’s your kink, just call it the big bedroom. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/108 "2022-10-22T20:03:32Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Unless that’s your kink, My wife told me to say it isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/109 "2022-10-22T20:04:08Z")
Why should anyone cater to the crazy with regards to how to communicate? ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/110 "2022-10-22T20:12:32Z")
I agree that there are fewer “traditional nuclear families” than there used to be, but I disagree that the term “master bedroom” only makes sense when the household consists of an owner and their dependent children. Even when the adults in the household include one or two parents , an adult child and that adult child’s spouse, the adults are often not living together on a roommate-like basis. It’s almost always the case that one set of adults owns/rents the living space and the other set contributes , but not equally. It might be that the parents own/rent the house and let the adult child and spouse live there , it might be that the adult child and spouse own/rent the house and let one or more of their parents move in - but what very rarely happens is that both adult generations buy the house together or put all four ( or three or …) names on the lease as the tenants. If my mother moves into the house that my husband and I own and have paid for , calling it the “master bedroom” makes just as much sense as it did when my kids were school-aged. ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/111 "2022-10-22T20:17:34Z")
I recently got stuck at the local shops when my car’s slave cylinder was liberated by the alternator. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/112 "2022-10-22T20:18:11Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Why should anyone cater to the crazy with regards to how to communicate? It is up to you to decide how to react when someone tells you they are offended by certain language and why. There is no disagreement here about that. Use whatever language you want and let the chips fall where they may. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/113 "2022-10-22T20:22:56Z")
After reading this thread, I walked about Manhattan today. Found my eyes drawn the the signs on many buildings denoting the “Siamese Sprinkler Connections.” But I wasn’t sure whether I ought to be offended on behalf of Asians or conjoined persons. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/114 "2022-10-22T20:26:25Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > It’s almost always the case that one set of adults owns/rents the living space and the other set contributes , but not equally. And we might be at a point in social development that thinking of one of those, even in abstract or as an analogy, as a “master” is no longer socially acceptable. That sounds like a good thing to me. ---
**Author:** ![Bayarea4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Bayarea4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bayarea4)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/115 "2022-10-22T20:56:04Z")
Point well taken, but I was referring to the legal institution of slavery in the United States, not illegal trafficking. Sorry for the confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/116 "2022-10-22T21:06:35Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Yeah - I got called out publicly on that one. The person effected me changing my usage - and my eternal enmity. 😉 So now when folks say they need to get oriented, I often ask if they mean “Asiated”. > > This is another silly thing I don’t care that much about. I’ll probably still default to master bedroom - I just don’t say it often. But I wouldn’t be surprised if over time I end up saying primary or main, if enough people are loudly annoying enough about it. They couldn’t be more annoying that someone saying “Asiated”. It’s been a few decades since “Asian” became the preferred term. > [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > However, I think it becomes an issue for some when the offended may appear to not be acting in good faith. Some seem to thrive on being offended, and only get their hackles up when instructed to do so. Who are you to make that distinction for others? > [@Biotop](#): > > And if someone explains to me why a word or phrase that I meant to use innocently has negative connotations to others then I will try and understand and if necessary adopt better language. Especially if there are a significant number of people. Even if their logic doesn’t make perfect sense. My vocabulary is big enough that using a different word or phrase is pretty painless. Easier than the performative outrage of complaining publicly about having to make that substitution. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/117 "2022-10-22T21:24:49Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > And as usual the world is in no way a better place from banning words while actual offensive behavior is unchanged. I think you’re right, especially as the sort of people who react to such a banning by saying “oh gosh, I’m sorry, I will adjust my behaviours to avoid it” were probably never the troublemakers in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/118 "2022-10-22T21:26:01Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > > [@msmith537](#): > > > > where the owner (IOW “master”) of the household resided. > > As I said above, I think it’s bad enough to imply that one person is a household is “master” of everyone else that lives there, even if there is no direct connection to slavery. LOL. I don’t think I was “implying”. My house, my rules and all that. But “master bedroom” doesn’t apply to a specific individual. It could be (and often is) occupied by a couple ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/119 "2022-10-22T21:33:26Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > > [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > > > However, I think it becomes an issue for some when the offended may appear to not be acting in good faith. Some seem to thrive on being offended, and only get their hackles up when instructed to do so. > > Who are you to make that distinction for others? I suppose you don’t make distinctions or draw meanings from others’ words and behaviors every single day? O-kayyyyyy. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613/120 "2022-10-22T21:58:49Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > There’s a common notion that somehow doing X prevents people from doing Y. Among poor leaders, it is common to try to do everything at once. Please decide on your priorities, boss. More to the point, silly language-police actions drive off those who might otherwise try to do the important stuff. How often have you seen a worker give up on a project because of side issues? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-racist-to-use-the-term-master-bedroom/973613.md?page=7)